Steve Bannon tells Sydney Morning Herald of Chinese domination danger

Steve Bannon predicts that the South China Sea will become “the focus of an intense global crisis”JONATHAN BACHMAN/REUTERS

Australia is on the “front line” in a clash with China and tensions between the two could worsen rapidly over Beijing’s militarisation of the South China Sea, according to the former chief strategist to Donald Trump.

Steve Bannon, known for his far-right rhetoric, said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia was in a “fight for the ages” that would decide whether western nations could protect their sovereignty against intrusion from China.

“If we continue on this path we’re down, China will control all of the countries of southeast Asia and they will control Australia,” Mr Bannon said, predicting that the South China Sea would become “the focus of an intense global crisis”.